Authorities arrest two individuals in alleged internet scam

On March 4 and 5, 2023, the Flathead County Sheriff’s Office, with the assistance from the FBI and its Montana Regional Violent Offenders Task Force, arrested two individuals allegedly involved in an internet scam. Sukhdev Vaid, of Karnal, India, and Eddly Joseph, of Pompano Beach, Florida, were arrested in Flathead County and charged in state District Court with felony counts of theft, attempted theft and accountability.

Officers were notified by a Flathead County woman who had been contacted by someone on the internet claiming to help her with an intrusion into her internet banking accounts. Authorities discovered she was possibly the victim of an internet scam involving her bank accounts and personal computer. The victim was advised to take out a substantial amount of cash from her accounts and meet with a male to give him the cash. After the first transaction, the victim was re-contacted by the suspects to conduct another transaction, which was intercepted by authorities.

Officers were able to locate and arrest the two men when they returned to Flathead County to get more cash from the woman. With help from the Flathead County Attorney’s Office, both men were charged with the crimes and lodged into the Flathead County Detention Center.

Law Enforcement would like to remind citizens not to answer or correspond with individuals over the internet who claim to need money for help with bank accounts. Persons oftentimes are notified by “pop up” type notifications that appear to be from valid software companies, such as Windows or Google, suggesting virus or intrusion issues. These individuals oftentimes originate from outside the United States and will try to get cash, gift cards, bank transfers or other money transfers to them. Law Enforcement says it is difficult and almost always impossible to recover the lost money given to these persons.